Community Reading Corner

Community Reading Corner is a reader development and information literacy promotion initiative of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak or Pustaka. It is an extension of the previously commissioned initiative of the same name, which was jointly implemented by Pustaka and the National Library of Malaysia.
Physically, it is a room or part of room or part of a hall, equipped with information resources such as books, magazines, electronic and online resources; basic facilities such as bookshelves, tables, chairs or benches, and fans; and may include other facilities such as computers or offline Internet peripherals. It is to be used as a self-service information resource center by the community where it is set up.

Objectives

The main objectives of this initiative are:
c) to alleviate the information literacy deficiency among the rural dwellers
d) to reduce the information literacy gap between the rural and urban communities
e) to advocate equal access to information and knowledge.

Phase I Community Reading Corners

In Sarawak, Community Reading Corners have been set up in places like

Localities		Districts		Divisions		Dates
Ensengei Iban		Simunjan		Samarahan		2010
Sageng Ulu		Simunjan		Samarahan		2010
Sual		Simunjan		Samarahan		2010
Temiang		Simunjan		Samarahan		2017
Ensengei Melayu		Simunjan		Samarahan		2017
Bijurey Mongag		Bau		Kuching		2017

Due to financial and technical limitations during the time of implementation, all these community reading corners were commissioned as one-off projects. This means they are not routinely maintained by the project sponsor and implementer. Such arrangement is considered mundane and obsolete by current standard. Thus, all these community reading corners will be enhanced and to be maintained by the new project sponsor and implementer in Phase II.

Phase II Community Reading Corners

All community reading corners in Phase I will be included in Phase II in addition new ones, which will be established and commissioned in stages.

Guidelines for Establishment

Proposal

a) A State Assemblyman, who is the project sponsor, may request for a community reading corner to be set up in his administrative area or locality.
b) The request for the establishment of a reading corner must done in writing.
c) A proposed site must go through a series of studies before any decision can be made on the establishment of a community reading corner.

Site Studies and Inspection

a) A proposed locality for a community reading corner shall be feasibility-studied to determine its eligibility. For a locality to be eligible for the establishment for a community reading corner, it has to meet the following minimum criteria:

1) It has minimal library services
2) The nearest library services are 15 kilometres away
3) It has a ready building or a room in a building or a part of a larger hall, which is installed with stable supply of electricity of at least 12 hours
4) It has a minimum population of 250
5) It must be accessible by road or water

b) Once the minimum criteria have been verified, a requirement study will be conducted to determine what are required for the implementation of the project. It is common for a feasibility study and a requirement study to be conducted simultaneously.

The requirement study will determine the following:

1) The size of the information resource collection
2) The number of user tables and chairs
3) The number of bookshelves
4) The number of offline Internet equipment
5) The number of other related equipment

c) The requirement study will also determine the initial project cost.

Initial project cost for Type A Community Reading Corner (576 square feet room or space).

Items		Units		Cost (RM)
a) Book collection		-		5,750.00
b) Bookshelves		4		3,200.00
c) Tables		2		1,000.00
d) Chairs		16		800.00
e) Long benches		4		1,000.00
f) Carpets or mats		4		1,000.00
g) Standing fans		3		900.00
h) Air-conditioning system		1		2,000.00
i) Tablet computers		2		1,000.00
j) Installation of broadband connection		1		350.00
Total				17,000.00

Initial project cost for Type B Community Reading Corner (1,200 square feet room or space).

Items		Units		Cost (RM)'
a) Book collection		-		10,050.00
b) Bookshelves		6		4.800.00
c) Tables		4		2,000.00
d) Chairs		32		1,600.00
e) Long benches		6		1,500.00
f) Carpets or mats		6		1,500.00
g) Standing fans		4		1,200.00
h) Air-conditioning system		1		2,000.00
i) Tablet computers		4		2,000.00
j) Installation of broadband connection		1		350.00
Total				27,000.00

d) Upon completion of the requirement study, the proposed community reading corner shall be approved and the community concerned will be notified in writing about the approval.
e) The community concerned must agree in writing via an acceptance letter to accept the proposed community reading corner before it can be implemented.

Guidelines for Implementation and Commissioning

a) The project fund shall be channeled to Pustaka once the proposed community reading corner is approved for implementation.
b) Pustaka shall procure for the project components identified during the requirement study.
c) The procurement of project components must comply with existing State financial procedures and guidelines.
d) The dates of delivery and installation of the project components must be agreed upon by Pustaka and the community.
e) Upon successful delivery and installation of all project components, proposed community reading corner shall be handed over in writing via a handing-over note to the community.
f) The handing-over signifies the completion of the project and the commissioning of the community reading corner.

Guidelines for Management

Roles of the Community

a) The community reading corner shall be managed by a designated person selected and appointed by the community where it is established.
b) The opening or operating hours of the community reading shall best the demand of the community it serves and shall be decided by the community.
c) The community reading corner shall be open to members of the community regardless of social status, racial and religious backgrounds.
d) Statistics of usage shall be recorded and maintained by the designated person.
e) The book collection, furniture and equipment of the community reading corner shall be regarded as the property of the community and shall be protected against theft and intentional damaging acts.
f) The operation of the community reading corner shall be monitored by the working or welfare committees of the community.

Roles of Pustaka

a) Statistics of usage shall be analysed by Pustaka to assess the performance of the community reading corner.
b) Pustaka shall collaborate with the community to promote the usage of the reading corner among members of the community via reader development programs, information literacy sessions, digital inclusivity initiatives and other related programs.

Guidelines for Maintenance

Roles of the Sponsor

a) Provision of fund for the following annual maintenance cost

Items		Units		Cost (RM)
a) Book collection replenishment		-		5,000.00
b) Broadband subscription		-		1,800.00
c) Electricity		-		1,200.00
Total				8,000.00

b) The maintenance fund must be channeled to Pustaka at the beginning of every year.

Roles of the Community

a) Maintenance of premise or venue of the community reading corner.
b) May source for fund to maintain the equipment and furniture of the community reading corner.

Roles of Pustaka

a) Replenishment of book collection of the community reading corner.
b) May maintain the equipment and furniture of the community reading corner.
c) Ensure that the premise or venue of the community reading corner is properly maintained.